Switching device



July27, 1937. H. J. FRANK SWITCHING DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet Filed March16, 1955 INVENTOR. Jim

ATTORNEY.

July 27, 1937. H. J. L FRANK 2,087,886

SWITCHING DEVICE Filed March 16, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

H. J. L. FRANK SWITCHING DEVICE July 27, 1937.

Filed March 16, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENT OR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented July 191 37 UNITED STATES PATENT OF'FlCE SWITCHING DEVICEHarrison J. L. Frank, Detroit, Mich. Application March 16, 1935, SerialNo. 11,430 6 Claims. (or 200-114) This application relates to switchingdevices and more particularly relates to switching devices of thecharacter disclosed in the patents to .Murray 1,158,534, November2,1915, and Frank et al. 1,825,267, September 29, 1931.

The switching device here shown is of the accessible fuse safety typeand includes a casing containing a switch of the carrier and base type,as shown in application Serial No. 750,492, flied tion is a continuationin part; the switch includes a fuse carrier or head which-can bereciprocated through a slot in the casing cover for switching by meansof a handle formed on the carrier and accessible from outside the coverof the casing of the switching device, the handle being manipulableto-cause reciprocation'of the carrier in a direct manner without theintervention of mechanical linkage between the handle and the carrier.

application is to provide in a simplified, safely operable; compact, andeconomical form, and in conjunction with a switch of the characterdescribed above, an accessible fuse safety type switching deviceprovided with means operable at the option of the user to provide alland more of the advantages of operation and construction provided by theswitching devices of the aforementioned patents.

In order to attain such object, the switching device is provided with anoptionally operable means which can be manipulated as desired so as toprovide desired relations between the switch parts themselves andbetween the switch parts and the casing. I

The device here shown is intended to be useful'as a substitute for thecrank type externally operated accessible fuse safety switches now beingmarketed, and for this reason care has been taken to provide, in thedevice here shown, all of the desirable attributes of the switches nowbeing marketed, but in .a simpler, more economical,

and more readily and flexibly adjustable form. 45/ For anunderstandings! the switching device here disclosed, reference may behad to the appended drawings and to the following detailed descriptivematter which relates to the 'same. In these drawings,

Fig. 1 is a cutaway front view-of the switching device, with the mainand'branch circuit covers closed; v

.Fig. 2 is a. similar October 29, 1934, of which the instant applica--The principal object of the inventions of this I view but with the maincover 55 of the device swung open to expose its interior;

Figs. 3 and 4 are views of a fuse carrier forming part of the switchproper of the device;

Fig. 5 is a cutaway front view of the switching device with theinterlockingplate thereof dis-. posed in a position A, where it does notoperate for interlock; in this view the branch circuit cover is shownswung open to expose the branch circuit connection block fuses;

Fig. 6 is a section as if on line 6-4; of Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 shows the extent of withdrawal of the carrier when theinterlocking plate is in nonoperating position A, Fig. 5; i

Fig. 8 shows the relation of the parts when the interlocking plateoccupies/position B wherein it permits normal switching actionaccompanied by exposure of the fuses of the carrier sufficient forinspection and removal, but preventing access to the live parts of thedevice even when the carrier is pulled out for fuse exposure;

Fig. 9 shows the extent of withdrawal of the carrier when theinterlocking plate is in position 13, Fig. 8; 3 Fig. 10 shows therelation of the parts when the interlocking plate is in position Cwherein it operates to permit withdrawal of the carrier.

suflicient for normal switching action and to expose the fuses forinspection, but not suflicient to expose the fuses for removal, the liveparts under these circumstances, even when the carrier. is moved forfuse exposure, being inaccessible;

Fig] 11 shows the extent of withdrawal of the carrier when theinterlocking plate is in position 0, Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 shows the relation of the parts when the interlocking plate isin position D wherein it operates to seal the entire device in statusquo;

Fig. '13 is a section as if on line l3|3 of Fig. 12; and

Figs. 14-15 show a modified form of carrier interchangeable with thecarrier of Figs. 3 and 4 in the switch of the device.

For an understanding of the drawings, reference should be had to thefollowing detailed description of the parts therein shown. The.switching deviceincludes a sheet metal box Ill, adapted to be mounted ona vertical wall W, Fig. 13, to which is hingedly attached at H a maincover l2.provided with an aperture ll through which may pass a springlatch i 5 secured to the box and formed for the reception of a seal orpadlock l5 whereby the main cover may be sealed or locked if desired.

the base so as to be shielded at all times against accidental contact,but normally accessible when the fuse carrier 20 whose contacts 2| areadapted to engage the contacts l8-l8a is not in position within thereceptacle, the receptacle contacts being inaccessible againstmischievous or malicious purposes when the carrier is partially orwholly associated with the receptacle or base. The carrier contactsoperate to bridge the base cont-acts through main fuses F which may beof the plug type as in Figs. 3 and 4 or of the cartridge type, as inFigs. 14 and 15, it being observed that a plug fuse carrier may besubstituted for or replaced by a cartridge fuse carrier with nodifficulty whatever, inasmuch as the carriers, except for the fusescarried thereby, are

similar. i

For providing branch circuit connection, there are provided branchcircuit blocks 22 whose tor-- minals may be properly interconnected tothe parts of the receptacle ll through the branch fuses f and throughthe medium of parts 23, shown as straps but which may be meter coils, aswill readily. be understood. The control of the branch circuits suppliedbythe device is of course established through the use of carrier 20 withrespect to the receptacle or base ll.

The main cover I2 is provided with a main slot 26 through which thecarrier may be reciprocated for switching.

The main cover ii! is also provided with a supplementary opening illregistering with the branch circuit fuses f through "which these may beaccessible for inspection or replacement,

and masked by mashing plate 28 secured to the main cover; and torclosing the supplementary opening there provided a branch fuse cover 29hinged to the main cover at it and provided with a handle M; the coverill may have a latching lug em engaging in a notch ill?) of the maskingplate, as shown.

The main cover may have a small cover M hinged to it at 33 for coveringthe handle of the carrier 20 and protecting it against breakage, andcover 32 may be sealed or locked shut, as shown in Figs. 1 and '13, ifdesired, by the main cover seal 16 or by a separately operable seal orlock, passed. through sealing lugs Sub-ti l registering with each otherand, if desired, with latching lug ill for the main cover. 'lfheprovision of the cover 32, and the provision of its scale, may be leftto the discretion of the manufacturer oruser, as will readily beunderstood.

In order to attain the objects and advantages described earlier in thisspecification, interlock.- ing means may be provided and such means aswell its operation will now be described.

Disposed behind the main cover Ill! is an inter-- locking plate tilmounted thereon by means of the pin and slot guide constructionincluding slots M of the plate it receiving headed pins lii oi-the maincover. The interlocking plate is shaped roughly in the form of a. U,substantially as shown, and the opening or clearance between the legsand bight thereof is proportioned to the size of the main slot 26 oi themain cover so as to cooperate therewith in a'manner that will later bedewribed.

For positioning the interlocking plate in one of its four positionsli--lEl--C-D, as desired, the plate has an index slot d3 in its hightthrough which may be passed a pin it secured to the main cover andprovided with a threaded shank (Fig. 6) for the reception of a nut Allidisposed within the casing and manipulable only when the suiidcient iorswitching action.

main cover is open, the nut when threaded down securing the interlockingplate against movement. The index slot 43 is provided with tourenlargements referenced A, B, C, and D respectively, whose registrationwith the pin 44 defines positions A, B, C, and D of the interlockingplate, which positions determine the interlocking characteristics of thedevice.

It is observed that the carrier 20 is provided with L-shaped projectionsincluding lugs 41 and 68 which guide the carrier in its switching actionby being received within receptacle slots 49, and in addition cooperatewith parts of the interlocking plate for'interlocking purposes.

Position A, Figures 5 and 7 When the interlocking plate is in theposition shown in Fig. 5, namely position it, no part thereof restrictsor restrains any movement of the carrier 20 or any movement of thebranch fuse cover 29. Under such circumstances normal switching actionis assured with the carrier being receivable in the receptacle in eitherone of two positions'l80 degrees apart for circuit closing or circuitopening; and access to the branch circuit fuses is completely free. Itis observed that when the interlocking plate is in position A, the liveparts of the switch are always accessible for contact, even though theyare shielded against accidental contact.

Position B, Figures 8 and ii plete removai of the carrier from thereceptacle,

without intertering with movement oi the carrier Accordingly though thecarrier may be manipulated. tor norreal switching action and inspectionor moval of the main fuses, complete removal oi the carrier from thedevice is prevented and to the live parts is also prevented, assumingthe main cover to be sealed or loclrcd, it usually Ii desired, the maincover may he o tied with springs 5i ior cooperating with seat... of thecarrier, whereby the earl day be held in circuit open position,partially insert in the receptacle. This provides means whereby thecarrier, though non-removable from the device, may be retained incircuit open position.

Position C, ill and: ii

Position D, Figures 12 and ill For sealing or looking the entire device,the

interlocking plate may be moved to position D where its portions at willregister with corners lid of the body of the carrier to loci: the sameagainst withdrawal, in switch closing or switch open position, and Whereits ends '55 will pass through slots of the masking plate 28 around thebranch circuit blocks 22 to register with I passed through lug I5, willseal the entire device against access and in status quo.

It may be observed that the provision of a single seal through lugs l5and 3334 will also seal all of the parts, regardless of the position ofthe interlocking plate.

Summary- In order to summarize the novel features of the device it isobserved that the user of the device .may at his option provide normalswitching actionwith or without access to the live parts. and with orwithout access to the main fuses for renewal, and without interferingwith access-to these fuses for inspection; that themain cover may beopened without requiring the carrier to be moved to switch ofi position;that the switch in part or in whole may readily be locked or sealed instatus quo; and that the same may be accomplished with a single seal atl5. 7

In other words, the device here shown may be used as an accessible fuseswitch, or a.

sealable fuse switch, or a plain "interlocked switch.

It is noted that the switch here shown pos sesses the important safetyfeature stressed in externally operated switches that the live parts areshielded against accidental contact at all times when the main cover isclosed, and that this feature is provided in a switch which is ing acover provided with an opening and containing a switch base behind theopening, a switching head constructed and arranged to be movable throughthe opening towards and away from the basefor switching action, andmeans comprising a movably mounted element manually and optionallymovableinto and out of a plurality of stopped and indexed, positions. in

one of which it clears the head for permitting withdrawal and removal ofthe head from and movement and association of the head to the devicefrom outside the same with the cover closed, and in another of which itcooperates with formations on the head for restraining withdrawal of thehead from the base.

2. A switching device comprising a casing having a cover provided withan opening and containing a switch base behind the opening, a switchinghead constructed and arranged to be movable through the opening towardsand away from the base for switching action, and means comprising amovably mounted element manually and optionally movable into and out ofa. plurality of stopped and indexed positions, in one of whichit clearsthe head for permitting withdrawal and removal of the head from and.

movement and association of the head to the device from outside the samewith the cover closed. and in another of which it cooperates withformations on the head for preventing separation of the head fromthe'device with the cover closed while permitting it to be moved towardsand away from the base.

3. A switching device comprising a casing having a cover provided withan'opening and containing a switch base behind the opening, a switchinghead constructed and arranged to be movable through the opening towardsand away from the base for switching action, and means comprising amovably mounted element manually and optionally movable into and out ofa plurality of stopped and indexed positions, in one of which it clearsthe head for permitting withdrawal and removal of the head from and.movement and association of the head to the device from outside thesame with the cover closed, and in another of which it cooperates withformations on the head for preventing separation of the head from thedevice with the cover closed while permitting it to be moved towards andaway from the base, and in another of which it cooperates withformations on'the head for restraining withdrawal of the head from thebase. v

4. A-construction of the character described in claim 1 wherein theelement is carried by and disposed below the cover and manipulable onlywhen the cover is open.

5. A construction of thecharacterdescribed in claim 2 wherein theelement is carried by and- HARRISON J. I. FRANK.

